Endoscopes are used to view internal tissue of humans, and for many other tasks. As sterilization of endoscopes is relatively difficult, disposable sheaths which cover an endoscope are often used to isolate the endoscope from the patient tissue, so as to avoid time-consuming cleaning and disinfection processes.
In many cases, in order to view the interiors of body cavities, there is a need for delivery of illumination to body cavities.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,449,006 to Shipp, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, describes an illumination system including a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) for an endoscopic camera. The system includes twenty eight LEDs mounted on a ceramic substrate having a cylindrical aperture, which allows light from a viewed object to reach a lens of the endoscope.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,814,699 to Ross et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, describes an endoscope including an array of LEDs mounted on a substrate and covered by a common distal protective shield. The array may be mounted at the distal end of an insertion tube of the endoscope.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,551,240 to Henzler, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, describes an endoscope with illumination LEDs.
U.S. patent publication 2004/0064018 to Dunki-Jacobs et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, describes an endoscope that has an integrated light source and camera mounted at the distal end of the endoscope.
The above patent publications all describe endoscopes which are specifically planned with LEDs mounted thereon. Using the description of any of these patents requires replacing currently used endoscopes at a relatively high cost.
PCT publication WO2004/000107 to Couvillon, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, describes an endoscope with a sensor disposed at a distal end of the endoscope and a portable power source which can be disposed anywhere along the length of the endoscope but is preferably located at a proximal end of the endoscope.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,478,730 to Bala, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, describes a laparoscope having a disposable sheath which leads illumination within its walls to a distal end of the laparoscope. The leading of illumination through the walls of a thin protective sheath has encountered various technical problems.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,387 to Woodson, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, describes a disposable endoscope kit, which has a disposable light source for mounting at a proximal end of a channel of the endoscope kit, within the channel.